A series of NejiNaru drabbles written for a friend. Not a pairing I'm interested in, but I tease her about it all the time. She asked me to write a NejiNaru drabble once, and she herself is infamous for writing little drabble arcs, so I decided to mimic her as best I could. She went away for a while in the summer, and I wrote these for her in her absence - each is exactly 100 words long (I think...)Although they could use a little work, I'm still rather fond of them.

...I need to get some Lee/Gaara out there.

Spinning

Neji listened with uncharacteristic interest as Naruto rambled on about a dream he'd had, giving away their position to the enemy with his loud voice, but for some reason Neji decided not to care, and across the fire it appeared that Shikamaru didn't either as he dozed nearby. As far as the Hyuuga boy was concerned, dreams were simply created by chakra veins running actively through one's brain during sleep, but the way Naruto went on about his own, he made it sound much more important than that... he always did.

A few moments later, Neji decided he wasn't that interesting.

---

He made Neji feel lifeless sometimes. He would laugh and gesture with all the energy of youth that Neji's teacher had told him he had. Neji, on the other hand, paled in comparison. Watching Naruto made the chuunin feel tired until the exhuberant blonde spun to face him, and it seemed that his world gained colour under Naruto's light. He felt more human then... more real.

He scolded himself about it walking home alone through Konoha's alleys after Naruto had suckered Neji into buying him ramen. There was no difference between then and now - it just felt that way.

---

"Last night, I was Hokage." Naruto blurted in the middle of their mission to break their silence. It took a moment before Neji realized that Naruto was talking about his dreams again. At his side, Shikamaru sighed. The blonde began talking about what had happened and how he wanted to make Konoha better. Years ago, Naruto didn't know how to make Konoha better - all he wanted was the title - the acknowledgement.

With each passing day, Naruto grew a little bit older and wiser. Anyone might have sighed in relief at the prospect, but Neji didn't want Naruto to change.

---

There were people in Naruto's life who Neji could never compare to. Kakashi was his teacher. Sakura was his friend. Sasuke was...

Naruto paled at the mention of his name whenever it came up. Neji and Shikamaru had begun tripping over the word when they had to say it. Naruto would narrow his eyes at them in a condescending way because they hesitated - but he pursed his lips even when he was prepared, revealing his sensitivity.

He was a chuunin now. He had scars and wounds all over, although Neji watched in fascination as they faded over time. But Sasuke...

---

Naruto met with them in silence one day, his expression firm and posture high. He studied everything with a distracted grace, staring at his hands while struggling not to narrow his eyes too much to seem depressed. As usual, Neji saw right through him.

Naruto had dreamt about Sasuke.

Shikamaru pretended nothing was wrong and went about his business. He cared for Naruto, but he did so by giving the blonde his space. Naruto read them their mission without insults to the writer or his sing-song voice. It was bleak and straight off of the page. The mission seemed somewhat difficult.

For once.

---

The world was gray. It didn't help much that it was raining. The mission had been a mission - easier than expected, but they seemed to be lacking. Somehow, Shikamaru had ended up breaking a toe, and sighed and groaned uselessly as he and Naruto had been forced to walk him back. Neji looked up to Naruto in time to see him wonder what had gone wrong - an expression shortly replaced by the realization that it wasn't severe and had been bound to happen eventually.

"See you tomorrow, Neji," Naruto said as he left, eyes to the ground.

Neji said nothing.

---

Neji hadn't felt that useless in a very long time. He thought as he walked to the Hyuuga compound silently.

Naruto had grown up alone, he thought. Naruto had no one in the beginning. And now, every day he made people smile and laugh. He inspired them. With each passing day, more people relied on him in spite of the fact that they used to hate him. More people acknowledge his existence in the way he always wanted. Neji himself had learned so much from him that his entire world had changed. He had never actually thanked Naruto.

Neji stopped and turned.

---

He had been to Naruto's house before to fetch the chuunin for missions when he slept late. He had junk on the table and clothes on the floor. It was no different this time, as Naruto eyed him suspiciously in the doorway. "What is it?"

In the darkness, his bright blue eyes were washed with that deafening gray Neji realized he was no longer used to. The Hyuuga struggled momentarily for his voice.

"I acknowledge you, Naruto."

The blonde stared at him for a moment, his gaze resting on Neji for a long time before they widened in realization.

Naruto smiled. "Thank you, Neji."

---

They were creeping through the forest at night during a mission when Naruto succeeded in giving away their position one more time as he pointed his hand to the sky and exclaimed that he had seen a shooting star. Shikamaru grumbled something sarcastic that Neji didn't catch as they continued on in silence to their goal.

"Aww, you guys suck!" Naruto reminded them with a pout as they went on with the mission.

Although Sasuke had left a gaping wound in the heart of Konoha, Neji was wouldn't let it get to them. He couldn't watch it eat away at Naruto anymore.